DEVON MEADOWS

DEVON Meadows secured the District Division minor premiership on Saturday with a thrilling 12-run victory over Emerald.
With results elsewhere meaning the Panthers had to win to secure a home final this weekend, Matt Clayton bowled with good pace and movement to capture an important early wicket. A series of dropped catches frustrated the Panther attack as the Bombers added 57 before Clayton broke through for his second wicket. Lucas Carroll (1/2) chimed in with a wicket soon after to give his side the upper hand with Emerald 3/79.
Devon Meadows’ catching woes continued after the tea break, and it was ironically a dropped catch that broke the Bombers’ 77-run fourth-wicket stand. Matt Davidson deflected a return catch onto stumps, leaving the non-striker stranded. However that wicket did little to halt the home side’s momentum as they blasted a depleted Panther attack to all corners of the ground, and with 20 overs to play the home team required less than 50 runs for victory with six wickets in hand.
Mick Floyd was reintroduced to the attack and went for 12 runs in the first over after drinks before breaking through in his second to give the Panthers a sniff. When Daniel Steet (1/8) removed Emerald’s top scorer Nick Kearton, the game had again swung in Devon Meadows’ favour. The final four Bomber wickets fell for just nine runs to secure Devon Meadows top spot on the District ladder.
Floyd finished with 4/41 – including 4/0 off his final four overs – and Clayton 2/64, and the Panthers will now focus on the semi-final clash against Merinda Park at the Cranbourne Racecourse this weekend.
B GRADE
The second XI finished its season on a high, defeating ladder leaders Beaconsfield by 30 runs at Glover Reserve.
Resuming at a precarious 3/23 in pursuit of the Tiger’s 117, the Panthers lost regular wickets however a vital 35 from Darren Cooper held the innings together. Tony Scott made 25 and Jason Brzezowski 24, while skipper Paul Borg made 15 to help his side to victory with three wickets in hand. The win lifted the side to sixth on the ladder just one win shy of the top four.
C GRADE
Needing a win to secure a finals berth, the third XI resumed at 1/19 in pursuit of Officer’s 169 but found itself in early trouble losing four wicket to stagger to 5/60. Skipper Mark Hosking remained resolute however and finally found an ally in Jarryd Harley as the pair added 55 before Hosking biggest innings of the season ended on 68. Harley fell soon after for a well made 13, and despite youngster Lee Thomas’s 11, the Panthers fell 28 runs short of its target.
E GRADE
The fourth XI enjoyed it’s second consecutive week off and will now travel to Nyora for its semi-final after finishing third on the ladder.
UNDER 17
The under-17s finished the season undefeated after defeating Lang Lang by 21 runs.
Missing several players due to Premier Cricket commitments, a reshuffled Panthers line-up lost an early wicket in pursuit of the home side’s 91 before a 46-run stand between Josh Walker and Kyle Salerno set up the innings. Walker fell for seven followed soon after by player of the week Kyle Salerno (40). Tom Jewell (21) made his highest score of the season, as did Nathan Worsteling (18) as the Panthers cruised to victory, finishing at 6/112.
The Panther cubs will now host Pakenham at Glover Reserve in their semi-final clash this weekend.
UNDER 15
The under-15s season finished on a disappointing note when the side was dismissed for just 111 in pursuit of Cardinia’s 199.
Regular wickets stifled any momentum in the Panthers’ innings, and despite some solid contributions from Tex Kennedy (32), Corey Hadow (17), Dylan Ford (16), James Saunders (15), and Phil Armstrong (12), the Panthers fell 88 runs shy of its target.
VOTE COUNT
The Devon Meadows annual vote count was held on Saturday night, players of the year were:
District: Mick Floyd.
B Grade: Lincoln Hepburn.
E Grade: Matthew Davidson.
Allan Tibballs Medal (G Grade): Glen Fairbrother.